LEIGH BAPTIST CHURCH “MESSENGER” JANUARY 2022
VERNON ST / CHURCH ST . LEIGH. WN7 1BH
Website : www.leighbaptistchurch.org.uk Contact: admin@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk
Pastoral Leader – Val Hulme ( Days Off Wed and Fridays)
email : pastoral.leader@leighbaptistchurch.org.uk TEL 07817142192
Check LBC website for updates and info also LBC FACEBOOK page
Dates for your diary
Sunday 2nd January There will be no online service.
Sunday 9th January All-age worship in church 10:45 am
Sunday 16th January Online service (YouTube and Facebook) 3:15pm
Sunday 23rd January Communion service in church 10:45 am
Sunday 30th January Service in church 10:45 am. (Followed by Church /Congregation AGM)
Saturday 8th January Coffee+ 10:30am - 12:30pm
Tuesdays 18th and 25th Toddlers @ LBC 9:30am - 11:30am Booking necessary
Thursday 20th January Deacons' Meeting 1:00pm
Thursday 27th January Coffee+ 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Sunday 30th January Church and Congregation AGM following morning worship
All the in person services and meetings are subject to change if government and BU advice around Coronavirus changes.
Church and Congregation Annual General Meeting
This will be held on Sunday 30th January, following morning worship. Please bring your own lunch. It is an opportunity to elect deacons, a treasurer and secretary to strengthen the Leadership Team, plus all the other roles that are necessary to enable the church to function.
Kathie Williams and Jean Donagain have come to the end of their terms of office as deacons. Kathie has already indicated that she will not be offering herself for re-election, but Jean is willing to stand. Please continue to pray as to whom God is calling to serve in these roles within our church. In the past, we have had up to 9 deacons; we currently have 3, and that is before Kathie stands down.
Nomination forms will be available on Sunday 9th January, and need to be returned to a deacon by Sunday 23rd January. If you are nominating someone, you must have their permission and someone to second the nomination. Nominees for the role of deacon must have been a full church member for at least one year. Currently Val is covering the treasurer's role, so we do need somebody else to take on this vital role. The secretary's role is being covered by Jean, John Matthias and Val. Having one person covering the various parts of the role would ensure smoother running of church business. Filling the treasurer and secretary posts would allow Val to spend more time in her Pastoral Leader role.
During the meeting, we will also have time to reflect on the changes to our Sunday worship. This will be your chance to tell us what you like/don't like about these and to discuss what we as a church are being called to do now and throughout 2022.
Fresh Streams Leadership Conference: Jean, Angie and Val will be joining the conference online. It runs from the afternoon of Monday 10th January to lunchtime on Wednesday 12th January.
Prophecies.
Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you have been able to rejoice this Christmas as we celebrated our Saviour’s birth. I enjoyed the NWBA on-line service on Boxing Day and have loved to hear the singing of carols at various times.
As I have read the accounts in the Bible of the birth of Jesus I have once again marvelled at the fact that all that happened around that time had been predicted many, many years before by the prophets in Israel and Judea.
The most amazing fact of all seems to be that all the things that happened came together at that particular time, resulting in the prophecies being fulfilled, just as God had planned.
Mary was already engaged to be married to Joseph when she was told by an angel that she was to be the Mother of God’s Son who was to be called Jesus. We read in Luke 1: 34-35, (NIV) “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, since I am a virgin?” “The angel answered, “The Hoy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” So the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 was fulfilled: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son and will call Him Immanuel.” This means, ‘God with us.’ Mary was also told that He would “reign over the House of Jacob for ever,” and that His kingdom would never end. (v33).
Because Joseph was a descendent of King David, when Caesar Augustus announced that a census was to be taken, Mary and Joseph had to travel South from their home in Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. The prophet Micah said, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah. Out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel.” (Micah 5: 2) They arrived just at the time that the baby was ready to be born, just as had been predicted by Micah. Isaiah 9 tells us the names that would be given to the child to be born, “Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Also, a light would shine into the lives of those who walk in darkness. “For unto us a child is born.” He will sit on the throne of David and His Kingdom will last for ever.
Around that time a new star appeared in the sky which was seen by wise men who decided it must have meaning and must announce an important event, so they set off to follow it until it came to Bethlehem where they found that a King had indeed been born. Because King Herod thought that a new king would be a rival for his throne, he decided that all baby boys under 2 should be killed. This meant that God warned Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. Hosea 11: 1 says, “Out of Egypt I called my Son.” When Herod had died, that is what God did. So the family returned to Israel, but because Herod’s son was now King in Judea they went back to Galilee to live in Nazareth and Jesus became known as the Nazarene.
There were also the prophetic words of those who came into contact with Jesus before and after His birth.
In Luke 1 we read that after Mary had had the visit from the Angel she went to see her cousin Elizabeth whose husband, Zechariah, had been told that they would have a son in their old age, whom they must call John. When Mary entered their house Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favoured that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Mary then gave thanks to her Lord in the wonderful words of the Magnificat, “My soul doth magnify the Lord ---“
When John the Baptist was born and Zechariah was asked what they were going to call him he wrote, “His name is John” He had been dumb since he had not believed the angel’s message to him that he and Elizabeth would have a son, even though they were old, but as soon as he wrote ‘John’ he could speak. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, gave thanks for all God had done and prophesied that the baby would be a prophet who would prepare the way for The Lord, our Saviour as predicted in Isaiah 40:3.
On the eighth day Mary and Joseph went to the Temple in Jerusalem to present Jesus to the lord and to offer a sacrifice according to the Jewish Law. Luke 2:25 tells us that a man called Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple, where he took Jesus in his arms and said that now he could die in peace because he had seen God’s Salvation, “A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people, Israel.” Anna, a prophetess, also came into the Temple, gave thanks, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” Luke 2:38.NKJV.
All these prophetic utterances that we read of about John the Baptist and about Jesus came true. I also think they are wonderful words to read which really do help in what many think of as these dark times. But they also prove that we are in God’s hands and He is working His purposes out. Our future is in His hands and everything is working towards the Second Coming of Jesus. When he ascended up to Heaven, the Disciples were told by God’ messengers that “He will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into Heaven.”
May our trust be in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in 2022.
Wishing you God’s help and blessing, Kathie
Prayer for a Victorious New Year
Lord Jesus, I come to you in this brand new year with a desire to move forward, not backward. Last year is gone and with it all the foolish mistakes I made. I’m eager to put the past behind and to press on toward the mark of knowing you, loving you, serving you, and making Your name known in this coming year.
You have given me everything I could possibly need for the coming year. In You, I am complete, Lord. Help me to accept my faults and make Your mirror my own. I want to reflect You daily.
Because of Your love and the price You paid for my sin I can not only enjoy a victorious new year but a triumphant life. You put a new “want-to” in my life and in my heart. As the calendar turns another page in this brand new year I want more than ever, to live it for You. There is no battle in my life too great with You in my life. There is victory in You, Jesus! –
© Rebecca Barlow Jordan